The Light and the Promise of Universal Justice Extinguished

On the evening of April 3, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous "Promised Land" speech at the Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee. It was a speech that delivered hope to millions and continues to do so even today. The speech closed with this, one of his most revered closings;

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

Less than 24 hours later, King was dead, murdered by James Earl Ray at the Lorraine Motel. In the hours, days, and even years that followed, people the world over had come to believe that the light and the promise of universal justice had been extinguished forever. It was a sad and fearful time to be alive.

I wasn't alive in April of '68. As a matter of fact, I was still 23 months away from being born. I understand the importance of the King assassination as a historical event, but I have no real feeling for it, although it has provided me a compelling reason to keep my ass out of Memphis.

Never in my lifetime have I felt that the light and the promise of universal justice had been extinguished. I had spent my life hoping that we as a civilization had turned a corner from that dark day in nearly 43 years ago.

I learned this afternoon that I had spent my life hoping in vain. The scales were lifted from my eyes, brothers and sisters. They have at long last been lifted and I can finally see! I can see what injustice and contempt for the common man seep from the system's pores. A system that brave young men and women are dying even today to uphold contemplates nothing less than our total subjugation at its feet.

I now know that there is no promised land and there probably never was. And if it exists, my god-fearing friends, the system and The Man will do everything in his might to keep us from it. I'm just glad that I don't have children to explain this to, and I pity those of you that do.

Everything that was supposed to be good and great about the human condition seems like a cruel mockery now, an almost pornographic taunt of what could have been were we not governed by the presence of evil.

I don't know that if we'll ever be able to live in harmony as a people. I don't know that still phrases like "We the People" aren't going represent anything other than a sickening tease of what are supposed to be mankind's highest ideals, but I do know that we won't be seeing it in my lifetime. I haven't seen the promised land. I thought I did, but it was a cruel and cold mirage that now only makes me hungrier, thirstier and aching for hope.

The promised land might yet be out there, but I know that I'll never get there with you. I'm just too tired, defeated and emotionally crushed to make that journey anymore. All hope is gone. After all of these years, all of the great dreams have finally died.

I now know that none of us have anything better to look toward than dying alone. And I know that you probably feel the same way.